Microplastics: An Unsafe Pathway from Aquatic Environment to Health—A Review
01 Jan 2019-pp 67-72
TL;DR: In this paper, a review of sources and sources of microplastics, their bioavailability, and an analysis of their fate, or potential impact, on aquatic environments is presented.
Abstract: Waste is considered to be any solid material that is manufactured or processed and then discarded or disposed, ending up either in a terrestrial or an aquatic environment. It is possible to curb the negative effects of waste when it is dumped on land, but as it enters water, its potential impact is unpredictable, as water is a universal solvent with an ability to dissolve and hoard contaminants. Contaminants can be organic and inorganic, which determine their associated toxicity. Various solid wastes such as plastic, glass, metal, rubber, and wood have already polluted available potable water resources. Of all contaminants, plastics are commonly used presently and although they reduce the exploitation of natural resources, they are highly persistent in nature and end up in water bodies in the form of plastic debris. Plastic debris within an aquatic environment can be macro, meso, micro, or nano in size. Larger macro-size particles have been reported to commonly entangle aquatic invertebrates, birds, mammals, and turtles. On the other hand, micro- and nano-size particles form through different fragmentation processes such as photodegradation and microbial degradation, and as a result of other external forces. Micro-sized plastics (<5 mm in diameter) are ubiquitous in water, sediment, and their associated biota. Their smaller size and colorful appearance makes them resemble food for aquatic organisms, and hence they bioaccumulate easily. Also, additives used during plastic synthesis are released into the aquatic and terrestrial environments in the form of toxic chemicals. Among anthropogenic “cosmetics,” toothpaste is considered to be one of the major contributors to microplastics pollution. It uses micro-sized beads for exfoliation. Research on microplastics is rapidly increasing worldwide, and microplastics have already been tagged as an alarming threat, but there exists a knowledge gap on actual concentrations, their impacts, and their sources. This review addresses possible types and sources of microplastics, their bioavailability, and an analysis of their fate, or potential impact, on aquatic environments.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors reviewed the scientific literature related to microplastic pollution in various environmental matrices in India and highlighted the research gaps for future research priorities, and highlighted an urgent need for the harmonized and standardized sampling and analytical methods for MP research, that can enable us to study the spatial and temporal comparisons around the world meaningful.
Abstract: This study aims at reviewing the scientific literature related to microplastic (MP) pollution in various environmental matrices in India and highlighting the research gaps for future research priorities. Currently used methods for sampling, extraction, identification, characterization and quantification of MPs were assessed, and sources, distribution, transport pathways, fate, impacts, chemical risks and MP-biota interactions in the marine and freshwater ecosystems of India were examined. Studies on the spatial and temporal transport pathways of MPs are very scarce, especially w.r.t. river discharge, anthropogenic activities, beach morphology, bottom topography, biofouling and hydrodynamics. Though some amount of baseline data of MPs at select regions along the Indian coast have been generated, the extent of MP pollution in air, major rivers and nearshore continental shelf is still poorly understood. Moreover, this study highlights an urgent need for the harmonized and standardized sampling and analytical methods for MP research, that can enable us to study the spatial and temporal comparisons around the world meaningful.
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TL;DR: Global plastics production and the accumulation of plastic waste are documented, showing that trends in mega- and macro-plastic accumulation rates are no longer uniformly increasing and that the average size of plastic particles in the environment seems to be decreasing.
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TL;DR: The issue of microplastics in freshwater systems is reviewed to summarise current understanding, identify knowledge gaps and suggest future research priorities.
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TL;DR: Monitoring waste disposal on ships and plastic debris levels in rivers and storm-water runoff is useful because it identifies the main sources of plastic debris entering the sea and can direct mitigation efforts.
Abstract: Plastic debris has significant environmental and economic impacts in marine systems. Monitoring is crucial to assess the efficacy of measures implemented to reduce the abundance of plastic debris, but it is complicated by large spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the amounts of plastic debris and by our limited understanding of the pathways followed by plastic debris and its long-term fate. To date, most monitoring has focused on beach surveys of stranded plastics and other litter. Infrequent surveys of the standing stock of litter on beaches provide crude estimates of debris types and abundance, but are biased by differential removal of litter items by beachcombing, cleanups and beach dynamics. Monitoring the accumulation of stranded debris provides an index of debris trends in adjacent waters, but is costly to undertake. At-sea sampling requires large sample sizes for statistical power to detect changes in abundance, given the high spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Another approach is to monitor the impacts of plastics. Seabirds and other marine organisms that accumulate plastics in their stomachs offer a cost-effective way to monitor the abundance and composition of small plastic litter. Changes in entanglement rates are harder to interpret, as they are sensitive to changes in population sizes of affected species. Monitoring waste disposal on ships and plastic debris levels in rivers and storm-water runoff is useful because it identifies the main sources of plastic debris entering the sea and can direct mitigation efforts. Different monitoring approaches are required to answer different questions, but attempts should be made to standardize approaches internationally.
1,170 citations